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2001 Lincoln Ls

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Ls years

Owner complaints for the 2001 Lincoln Ls are substantially higher than the model-year median of 91.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

166 reports with mileage · 74 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Suspension. Review the 110 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

20 crash reports1 fire reports11 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

14 reports
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120,000 miles · Sep 26, 2013
Electrical SystemEnginePower TrainFire

MY 01 LINCOLN LS 3.9 V8 CAUGHT FIRE WHILE IT WAS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY AT 11:30 PM. BY THE TIME IT WAS NOTICED, THE ENTIRE FRONT HALF WAS ENGULFED. IT EXPLODED ABOUT 3 TIMES (POSSIBLY THE AIRBAGS EXPLODING). THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT THE FIRE OUT BEFORE IT REACHED THE FUEL TANK. I HAD DRIVEN IT AROUND AN HOUR BEFORE. THE MOST DAM…

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MY 01 LINCOLN LS 3.9 V8 CAUGHT FIRE WHILE IT WAS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY AT 11:30 PM. BY THE TIME IT WAS NOTICED, THE ENTIRE FRONT HALF WAS ENGULFED. IT EXPLODED ABOUT 3 TIMES (POSSIBLY THE AIRBAGS EXPLODING). THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT THE FIRE OUT BEFORE IT REACHED THE FUEL TANK. I HAD DRIVEN IT AROUND AN HOUR BEFORE. THE MOST DAMAGE WAS NEAR THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT OF CAR NEAR WHERE THE HEADLIGHT AND AIR FILTER WERE LOCATED. THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT HAD NOT BURNED AS INTENSE AS THE DRIVER SIDE. (THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT OF THE HOOD HAD COMPLETELY BURNED AWAY..) THE FIRE DEPT SAID IT POSSIBLY STARTED IN THE ENGINE BUT THE FIRE HAD BURNED SO MUCH THAT THEY COULD NOT BE SURE. NO INVESTIGATION SINCE I ONLY HAD LIABILITY INSURANCE. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE 2008 AND HAVE NOTICED DIFFERENT ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS SUCH AS RADIO VOLUME INCREASING, INDICATOR LIGHTS RANDOMLY COMING ON/OFF (ATC, ABS, AIR BAG, ECT). ABOUT ONE MONTH BEFORE FIRE THE CAR WAS HAVING ISSUES WITH NOT STARTING AND RANDOMLY DYING AS I WAS DRIVING. THE BATTERY WAS TESTED AND WAS NOT THE ISSUE. I LOVED MY CAR BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS EVER FREE OF ISSUES. (WINDOW REGULATORS/CLIPS REPLACED EACH WINDOW TWICE, OIL IN CYLINDERS-REPLACED ALL CYLINDERS/COILS/ECT TWICE, CAR WOULD LOSE POWER/HESITATE OVER 40MPH, GAS PEDAL WOULD GET STUCK IF PRESSED TO QUICKLY CAUSING RPMS TO SURGE BUT CAR WOULD NOT GO OVER 25-30 MPH AND WOULD BE EXTREMELY HARD TO STOP (IT WOULD SURGE FORWARD AND I WOULD HAVE TO PUT ALL MY WEIGHT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO KEEP IT FROM HITTING WHATEVER WAS IN FRONT OF IT) I WOULD TEMP FIX THIS ISSUE BY FLICKING THE IDLE CONTROL LEVER (WHICH I NOTICED ONE OF THE "E CLIPS" HAD COME OFF OF ONE OF THE ARMS) NEAR THE THROTTLE BODY (WHICH WOULD ALSO GET STUCK OPEN/CLOSED AND HAVE TO BE CLEANED ON REG BASIS.) MANY MORE ISSUES NOT LISTED HERE... BEAUTIFUL CAR BUT DEFINITELY A LEMON... *JS

NHTSA ODI #10545536

10,758 miles · Mar 26, 2007
Electrical System

THE ELECTRICAL COILS IN THE 2001 LINCOLN LS ARE A MAJOR EXPENSE IMPOSED UPON THE OWNER. THESE COILD ARE OVER 280.00 TO REPLACE AND USUALLY AFTER REPLACING ONE ANOTHER SOON GOES OUT OR GOES OUT ON THE SAME DAY AS THE REPLACED COIL. ALLL OF THE MECHANICS AT LINCOLN ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND SAID ITS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE CA…

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THE ELECTRICAL COILS IN THE 2001 LINCOLN LS ARE A MAJOR EXPENSE IMPOSED UPON THE OWNER. THESE COILD ARE OVER 280.00 TO REPLACE AND USUALLY AFTER REPLACING ONE ANOTHER SOON GOES OUT OR GOES OUT ON THE SAME DAY AS THE REPLACED COIL. ALLL OF THE MECHANICS AT LINCOLN ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND SAID ITS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. I HAVE REPLACED 4 OF THE 8 AS TODAY AND WILL BE REPLACING ANOTHER ONE THIS WEEK. I THINK CONSUMERS MUST BE MADE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. I AM IN THE MARKET FOR PURCHASING A NEW CAR AND I MUS SAY, "BUYER BEWARE OF LINCOLN-MERCURY. HATS OFF TO CHRYLSLER, THE DEALER OF ALL OF MY PREVIOUS CARS. I HAD NO MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH NONE OF THE 3 CARS I PURCHASED FROM THEM. I JUST CANNOT BELIEVE RTHIS IS HAPPENING TO ME AND I AM SURE SO MANY OTHER CONSUMERS OF THIS VERY PRETTY CAR THAT'S A LEMON!. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10186169

78,000 miles · Dec 14, 2006
Electrical SystemEquipmentService Brakes, Hydraulic

THIS CAR HAS HAD EIGHT INCIDENTS IN TWO YEARS OF COIL PACKS FAILING. I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR, IE (BRAKES, AIR CONDITIONING ELECTRONICS...) FORD CAN'T GET THE COIL PROBLEMS FIXED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10176133

87,000 miles · Sep 7, 2006
Electrical System

WE OWN A 2001 LINCOLN LS - V8. THE ENGINE HAS A COIL ON EACH SPARK PLUG. THE COILS ARE FAILING AT THE RATE OF ONE A MONTH. WHEN THE COILS FAIL THE ENGINE MISFIRES AND YOU HAVE TO FIGHT WITH THE CAR TO KEEP IT UNDER CONTROL AS IT LURCHES ON THE HIGHWAY. IT IS REALLY SEVERE IN AN UPHILL FAILURE. I HAVE NEVER OWNED A CAR WITH …

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WE OWN A 2001 LINCOLN LS - V8. THE ENGINE HAS A COIL ON EACH SPARK PLUG. THE COILS ARE FAILING AT THE RATE OF ONE A MONTH. WHEN THE COILS FAIL THE ENGINE MISFIRES AND YOU HAVE TO FIGHT WITH THE CAR TO KEEP IT UNDER CONTROL AS IT LURCHES ON THE HIGHWAY. IT IS REALLY SEVERE IN AN UPHILL FAILURE. I HAVE NEVER OWNED A CAR WITH COIL FAILURE. THE MECHANIC TELLS ME (AND HAS COIL PARTS TO PROVE IT) THAT THIS IS A SEVERE FORD PROBLEM. I CALLED FORD AND THEY DENY ANY SAFETY ISSUE OR WRONG DOING. I KNOW IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THE COILS ARE FAILING BEFORE THE RECOMMENDED SPARK PLUG CHANGE PERIOD!! FORD NEEDS TO STEP UP AND REPLACE THESE PARTS. THEY ARE DEFECTIVE AND PUT THE DRIVER IN AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10167592

Mileage unknown · Sep 22, 2002
Electrical System

THE CAR HAS SHUT DOWN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. NO KNOWN CAUSE. HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED - COULD NOT DUPLICATE, AND COULD NOT FIND A CAUSE. IT HAS NOW HAPPENED TWICE AT HIGH SPEEDS. NO RESOLUTION HAS BEEN PROVIDED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #767564

Mileage unknown · Jul 26, 2002
Electrical System

INSTRUMENT PANEL SHORT CAUSED LIGHTS TO FLICKER OR NOT COME ON AT ALL. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #8014852

Mileage unknown · Jun 8, 2002
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Gasoline

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES STALLING AND AT TIMES WILL NOT START, DEALER CAN NOT REMEDY PROBLEM. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #566474

Mileage unknown · Jan 9, 2002
Electrical System

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55MPH ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE SHUT OFF IN MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEARLERSHIP. DEALERSHIP MECHANIC TOLD HER THAT SHE NEEDED TO REPLACE ALTERNATOR.*AK *TT

NHTSA ODI #8001857

Mileage unknown · Jan 3, 2002
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingCrash

ENGINE STALLED DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL BEFORE TRAVELING INTO A DITCH. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT ALTERNATOR FAILED WHICH RESULTED IN STALLING OF ENGINE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION. *NOTE: EN…

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ENGINE STALLED DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL BEFORE TRAVELING INTO A DITCH. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT ALTERNATOR FAILED WHICH RESULTED IN STALLING OF ENGINE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION. *NOTE: ENGINE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED IN SEPTEMBER 2001 DUE TO AN UNKNOWN PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8001393

Mileage unknown · Aug 24, 2001
Electrical SystemInterior LightingStructure

WHEN DRIVING INTERIOR LIGHTS AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS WILL AUTOMATICALLY TURN OFF WITHOUT ANY WARNING, ALSO, DOORS WILL AUTOMATICALLY LOCK WITHOUT OPERATOR MANUALLY LOCKING DOORS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #895115

Official recalls

1

00V359001 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint

Nov 3, 2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE NOT TIGHTENED TO SPECIFICATIONS WHEN THEY WERE ATTACHED TO THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE BALL JOINT ATTACHING NUTS ARE NOT ADEQUATELY TIGHTENED, THEY CAN LOOSEN AND, ULTIMATELY, RESULT IN FRACTURE OF THE BALL JOINT STUD. IF THE BALL JOINT FRACTURES, CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE COULD BE AFFECTED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TORQUE ON THE TWO BALL JOINT ATTACHING NUTS. VEHICLES WITH LOOSE BALL JOINT ATTACHING NUTS WILL EITHER HAVE THE FASTENERS TIGHTENED TO SPECIFICATION, OR IF NECESSARY, THE BALL JOINTS WILL BE REPLACED.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.